In a twist of irony, India's off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who has been a vocal proponent of running out non-strikers for leaving the crease early, found himself on the receiving end of a warning for the same offence. The incident occurred during the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) 2024 on Sunday in Dindigul.

As Ashwin stepped out of his crease, left-arm spinner Mohan Prasath noticed and halted his delivery stride. The incident took place during the 15th over of the first innings; observing Ashwin inching out of the crease, Prasath stopped his run-up, prompting Ashwin to quickly halt his movement.

The replay showed that Ashwin had his bat on the crease, which saved him from being run out, as the bowler did not remove the bails. This close call was a throwback to Ashwin’s run-out of Jos Buttler in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2019, a move that sparked widespread debate about the spirit of the game.

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Ashwin's stance on non-striker run-outs has been clear and unwavering. He believes that bowlers are unduly pressured to maintain the spirit of cricket, while batters often gain an unfair advantage by stepping out of the crease prematurely. His actions and subsequent justifications have stirred discussions in cricketing circles, emphasising the need for batters to remain within their crease until the ball is delivered.

This incident in the TNPL was not Ashwin's first involvement in such a situation. In 2012, he dismissed Sri Lanka’s Lahiru Thirimanne for backing up too far during an ODI. However, the appeal was later withdrawn by then-captain Virender Sehwag.

The debate surrounding such dismissals led to a significant rule change in 2022 when the MCC moved the act from Law 41 (Unfair Play) to Law 38 (Run Out), thereby reducing the stigma associated with it and encouraging batsmen to be more mindful.

In the match, Dindigul Dragons were bowled out for 136, with Ashwin contributing 15 runs off 13 balls. Shivam Singh was the standout performer for the Dragons, top-scoring with 70 runs off 59 deliveries. In response, Nellai Royal Kings chased down the target in 17.5 overs, securing a four-wicket victory.

Ashwin, however, bowled effectively, taking 2 wickets for 23 runs in his four overs.

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